(Phnom Penh): At least 70 Khmer masterpieces are scheduled to be repatriated from the United Kingdom in February and March 2026, according to confirmation from Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona.

The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the ministry's 2025 Annual Review Conference, held on 4–5 February 2026 at the Chaktomuk Conference Hall.

From 1996 to July 2024, Cambodia has recovered a total of 1,098 artifacts from 15 countries. These returns include items voluntarily handed back by private collectors as well as those repatriated by foreign governments and cultural institutions. The recoveries are the result of sustained efforts by the Royal Government of Cambodia through diplomatic negotiations, legal claims, and international cooperation.

In 2025 alone, Cambodia received 296 Khmer artifacts from István Zelnik, 13 Khmer artifacts from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, and recovered 277 crates of artifacts through the APSARA National Authority in collaboration with the Chinese–Cambodian Angkor Conservation Team.

The repatriation of these artifacts not only represents a significant contribution to the restoration of cultural memory, but also the healing of wounds left by decades of conflict and heritage loss. The Royal Government of Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to continuing efforts to locate and recover lost cultural objects for the benefit of the Cambodian people and humanity as a whole.

However, the return of certain Khmer artifacts from Thailand has been delayed, according to a summary report presented by Secretary of State Long Ponnasirivuth. He noted that ongoing border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand have negatively affected the protection of cultural heritage.
=FRESH NEWS